Grades

A Long Hard Journey

The Story of the Pullman Porter

A chronicle of the first black-controlled union, made up of Pullman porters, who after years of unfair labor practices staged a battle against a corporate giant resulting in a "David and Goliath" ending. More than just the story of the Pullman porters, this volume recounts the saga of Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, first major black labor union to be admitted to the AFL. Organized by A. Phillip Randolph just after the Civil War, the union brought together many freed slaves who had been hired by George Pullman to pamper the passengers in his sleeping cars. Seasoned with poetry, song, black-and-white historical photographs and the personal reminiscences of porters and their wives, the text is full and engaging. It offers an excellent introduction to labor history. "An exciting labor history...an excellent introduction to the subject." — School Library Journal